An Elusive Peace
by Emichan2
Summary: In the opening days of Operation Meteor, a friend of Duo's has arrived on earth to help the G-boys, but she has endured a lot since Duo last saw her. Is she the same person that Duo knew before? Will she be able to help the G-boys or will she just be a
1. An Introduction

"With high expectations human beings leave earth to begin a new life in space colonies. However, the United Earth's Sphere Alliance gains great military power and soon seizes control of one colony after another in the name of justice and peace. The year is After Colony 195. Operation Meteor: In a move to counter the Alliance's tyranny, rebel citizens of certain colonies scheme to bring new arsenals to the earth, disguising them as shooting stars. The Alliance headquarters catches on to this operation." 

  
Kyra Banks: An Introduction

  
15:00, April 10, 195 A.C. (2 days after Operation Meteor) Duo climbed on to the giant Scavenger barge. He tried to help the injured boy up the ladder, but the boy ignored his offer as he ignored his broken leg. Duo respected the boy's independence but part of him found it hard not to laugh at the determined coldness in those cobalt eyes. He had a feeling it would be an interesting couple of days.

That feeling was confirmed as a cheerful feminine voice called out. "Hey Duo, need any help with him?" The speaker made no attempt to hide her amusement at the boy's refusal of Duo's aid.

Heero looked up at the girl, appraising her quickly, but hiding his judgment behind the intensity of his stare. He noted that her gaze was serious as she appraised him, looking straight into his eyes. She spoke in a cultured American accent. Massive quantities of dark, brown hair were piled on her head. Her clothing was black: black dress, black shoes, and black purse. She seemed young, carefree and wealthy.

Heero's observations were noted in the instant it took Duo to turn around. "Kyra," he exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you here. I heard you went AWOL a month ago."

"Your information was correct," Kyra stated succinctly. "But I'm surprised you didn't expect me, this seems to be a gathering place for rogue terrorists," she added, the amusement once more in her voice.

"I still believe in the cause of the colonists," she continued in a sober tone, "but, I'm used to independence. After your departure I decided to go off on my own. I hitched a ride to Earth on the shuttle that brought Dorlan and his daughter home."

"So how long are you going to stick around?" Duo asked, accepting her explanation for now.

"I leave for Germany in a week."

"Germany?"

"I'll explain later. I have some shopping to do before the stores close. Either of you need anything?" she turned to Heero, "We probably have some basic first aid, but you'll need something special for your leg."

"I'll take care of it," Heero replied coldly. He had listened closely to the exchange, still unsure of the status of both Duo and Kyra, especially Kyra.

"Suit yourself," Kyra replied with a smile, "I'll see you guys later." With that Kyra climbed down the ladder and took off in a small boat.

15:30 In the store, Kyra found herself unable to concentrate on her dress selection. She could not shake the image of the Japanese pilot. Duo she knew, but the other was a mystery, a set of intense eyes, hidden by wild bangs.

'So that is what you've created Dr. J. I'm impressed. He is strong and focused. But is he kind enough? He has so much power. If he lacks kindness, he will only create more destruction. He will be as much a threat as OZ. But if he is kind enough,' Kyra thought darkly, 'war might destroy him.' Kyra abandoned those thoughts, wary of her inner turmoil showing on her face. She forced her thoughts back to the row of expensive black dresses before her, but was still determined to discover more about the intense boy. 

How heavy is the weight of the world? Can he be a modern Atlas?*

16:30 The boy known as Heero Yuy sat at his laptop. He had sent Dr. J a report on his capture and his encounter with Duo Maxwell and Kyra Banks. As he wrote the report his eyes were intense with self-hatred for his failure He waited to see what Dr. J had to say about his report with a focused, indescribable calm. He needed more information before he could act. He especially needed information on Kyra. Would he have to kill her?

The response came quickly. He saved it before the connection terminated and started to decode it. The first message was the information on Duo.

Duo Maxwell:  
The Gundam pilot from L2, he pilots the Deathscythe. His specialty is stealth. He is trustworthy.

Hardly informative. The response about Kyra was more informative. In face, it was amazingly comprehensive. It seemed like Dr. J had a particular interest in Kyra Banks.

Kyra Banks  
    Real name: Lily Helena Banks  
Rank: Countess of Gurn  
Aliases: many  
Age: 17  
Height: 5' 3"  
Nationality: American  
Appearance: dark brown hair, nearly black eyes, tan  
Skills: computer hacking, languages, martial arts, guns, acting  
  
Kyra is an analytical genius. She remains objective and looks at a situation from all sides. However, she will generally appear either calm or amused, no matter what she is feeling. Her self-control is formidable.

Background:  
Kyra's mother was the eldest daughter of Master Winner. Kyra's father was an English aristocrat who worked as an Alliance diplomat. They were both sympathetic to the cause of the colonies and gave us a great deal of information, especially on OZ. However, OZ discovered their activities and they were assassinated in AC 192. Athough it was made to look like an accident, Kyra knew the truth. After their death, Kyra decided to pick up where they left off and become an agent for the colonies. She spent 18 months training and running simple missions on L2. During that time she realized the full extent of OZ's power and become dedicated to its destruction. Kyra spent 9 months in prison as part of a mission. She escaped 3 months ago and has been in rehabilitation for 2 months. She went AWOL a month ago, but is still providing information to specific rebel factions. It is suspected that she left in response to Operation Meteor.

  
Heero read through Dr. J's report carefully. His main thought was, "I won't have to kill her, yet." He hoped not ever. Heero sent out confirmation that he had received and understood the information. Then he destroyed the note on Maxwell and encrypted the report on Kyra.

In the rafters far above, Kyra returned her glasses to their black case. They looked like ordinary sunglasses but they enlarged things about 25x. She found a more comfortable position and continued to observe the Japanese boy.

Heero, Heero Yuy, the pacifist leader of the colonies. It was amazing how much a name could reveal about a person. Duo's name picked out of the pieces of his shattered past, revealed the depth of his humanity. Do you deserve that name, 'Heero'? She smiled at the obvious pun and waited for him to finish.

17:00 Kyra strolled into the MS hanger and up to Wing Gundam. She recognized its form from the schematics she had stolen from G's computer as a training exercise. She slowly examined the powerful beast in front of her. Then she turned her attention to its pilot. As she surveyed the young man, a frivolous part of her brain thought that he was rather attractive, if short. Although Heero was undoubtedly aware of her presence, he did not even glance up.

"So what did Dr. J have to say about me?" Kyra asked casually, breaking the long silence.

Heero looked at her with a brief expression of surprise but he quickly regained his composure. His attention returned to the computer screen.

Kyra laughed. "Heero, you're slipping. You just showed emotion. Next time you might even say something," she teased. "When you talk to J, tell him I remember him. You know, the last time I saw him I was so small that he brought me a teddy bear. I left it at home a long time ago." Kyra was no longer smiling.

Heero didn't even look up. Kyra laughed in a slightly bitter way and walked over to where some Scavengers were gossiping over coffee. Heero glanced up to make certain she was gone.

--------------------------------------------------

17:30 Kyra walked into the small room she had claimed as her own. As she passed the stereo system she pressed the play button. She had loaded her special mix earlier. The dark strains of Nothing Else Matters* permeated the room.

//So close no matter how far  
Couldn't be much more from the heart  
Forever trust in who you are  
And nothing else matters//

She wondered how long it would be until Duo got here. This song should draw him quickly.

While she waited, Kyra began to stretch. Her extensive training as a dancer had made her extremely flexible, although she had lost some her flexibility while in prison. She had just gotten into a split when Duo walked in. Nothing Else Matters was playing for the second time.

"Youch," Duo commented, sitting casually on the bed.

//Trust I seek and I find in you//

"Hello Duo," Kyra greeted him from her split.

"I like the tunes."

"Thank you," Kyra said politely and then her manner seemed to shift, "We need to talk." How far would Duo trust her? After all they had not even seen each other in one year.

Duo looked at her guardedly, forcing her to continue. His change from teenager to Gundam pilot was abrupt as always. "Why did you leave the rebellion?" she continued.

"How do you know about- never mind," Duo corrected quickly, remembering that Kyra had undergone even more stealth training with Dr. G than he had. "Do you know the true purpose of Operation Meteor?" he asked instead.

"Originally, the leaders of the rebellion planned to drop old colonies onto earth. This would allow them to subjugate the earth," Kyra said in a neutral tone.

"And what do you think of that?" Duo asked just as calmly.

Kyra smiled slightly and moved to sit in a chair. So she would have to tip her hand first. "It disgusts me," she said, allowing her voice to reveal the depths of her revulsion. "Millions of innocent people would die. That plan would sink us lower than OZ or any other group could ever hope to sink."

//Never cared for what they do  
Never cared for what they know  
But I know//

Duo's eyes were dark with emotion as he listened to Kyra's speech. When she concluded he began to speak, "They were going to use Deathscythe as a weapon of senseless destruction. I couldn't let them use my buddy or me for that. I was going to blow-up Deathscythe, kill everyone in the base and then kill myself. Dr. G offered me a way out." As he recited this litany of sin, Duo's eyes grew darker.

//Never opened myself this way  
life is ours, we live it our way  
All these words I just don't say//

"Dr. G has always been good at finding a way out," Kyra commented.

"True," he agreed falling silent for a moment. The silence was short-lived, "Ya know, this song is depressing. Don't you have anything else on that thing?" Duo complained, motioning towards the stereo and alleviating the seriousness of the moment.

"The next song is different," Kyra answered with a smile at his abrupt change. Back to teenager.

"Great," Duo commented reaching for the remote. When started the next song, the opening strains of That Girl* poured out. Duo looked over at Kyra with a doubtful look. Kyra was smiling mischievously and moving to the music. "From Metallica to Shaggy," Duo muttered under his breath.

"Like you're one to talk," Kyra answered with a smile.

//That girl, ooo  
That kind of girl//

When Duo left, Kyra closed her eyes and sighed. A previously invisible strain showed on her face. She seemed to collapse in on herself, holding her head in her hands. The smiling had taken an effort, but at least Duo seemed to trust her. He would hardly have told her about his plan to destroy the rebel faction otherwise. She shook her head as if to shake off her tension and started a classical selection on her stereo. She started her dance routine again, losing herself in the music and movement.

//Forever trusting who we are  
No, nothing else matters//

---------------------------------------------------

Duo was slightly puzzled as he left Kyra's room. Why the music? It was as if she was setting the stage for something. Why would she need to put on a show for him? Kyra had been a partner and, he thought, a friend ever since they started training together two and a half years ago. However, sometimes could be difficult to be friends with Kyra. She was so good a hiding her emotions, and, unlike Mr. Heero "Suicidal" Yuy, she didn't hide them behind emptiness. Instead she hid them behind other emotions, that she felt were more appropriate, making it difficult to tell if she was hiding her emotions or not.

Once, as an April Fool's joke, Kyra had pretended to have a nervous breakdown. Her wild laughter and they havoc she had wreaked on her room had been eeriely convincing. He had been in the know, but it still had been an amazingly convincing performance.

Was Kyra giving another performance? Was the music just a soundtrack to her show? But why? And why for him? It didn't make sense. Duo decided that for now he would trust Kyra, but he would have to watch her. It made him sad to think of it, another person to suspect.

____________________________________________ *Nothing Else Matters © Metallica *Atlas-The Titan doomed to carry the world on his back when the Titans lost the war of the gods. *That Girl © Maxi Priest and Shaggy ******************************************** 


	2. Reconnaisance

I just wanted to say thank you to Tempest for her review. Although I had not given up on this story, the lack of response to it made me ignore if for other works that were getting more attention, so this has languished on my hard drive. I'll be working on it some more now, though. And, as shown above, feedback will keep me hard at work on this. ^_~

Kyra Banks: Reconnaisance

  
**18:30, April 10, 195 A.C.** (two days after Operation Meteor)

"So," Duo began, "you never said why you're going to Germany."

Kyra nodded and indicated that she would explain as soon as she finished her bite of spaghetti. Heero continued eating with the same intense efficiency that characterized all his actions. Kyra was surprised that Heero had agreed to eat with them. "Perhaps he doesn't like field rations any more than the rest of us," Duo had mischievously suggested to her. She had laughed her first real laughter in a while at that.

"It's an intelligence gathering mission," Kyra began. "We've known about the existence of OZ for many years now. We know how they hide themselves in the Specials, how they have infiltrated the Alliance's mobile suit corps. However, I don't know where the money is coming from. OZ could not have developed advanced mobile suits at the rate they have without supplemental funding. After I left the rebels, I decided to discover where the funding was from. Knowing that might help us understand the guiding principles of OZ. So I did some preliminary research a couple weeks ago.

* * *

**21:00, Two weeks earlier-**

I carefully slide the last bobby pin into the pile of my hair. It wouldn't do to leave a trace behind so I wrap a hairnet around the mass of braids. I think that most of OZ's records on me have been lost or destroyed due to 'clerical error,' but caution is always the wisest course, you know. Next, I fasten the black leather of my gloves over the back of my wrists. Now only my face and two circles on the back of my hands are uncovered. In my flexible dance boots, I can become just another shadow. I finish my preparations slowly and quietly, calming myself and absorbing the quiet dark of my room. Finally I slide my gun into a holster on my lower back. The holster is designed to hug my body as closely as possible so that it does not catch on anything. Tonight my weapon of choice is a standard military issue sidearm; it will help complete my disguise later. I pull on a trench coat to hide my skintight black outfit and head out of the cheap motel. Next stop: OZ base.

21:30

I am thankful for the bright lights on the corners of the fence. They throw the rest of the area into deeper shadow and destroy the guards' night vision. Unfortunately, one soldier in each patrol has night vision goggles. Hiding behind the curb of the street that runs next to the base, so that the goggles cannot locate me, I slide thick rubber gloves over my hands to protect them from the electric fence. I've already ditched the trench coat in an alley not far away. Hopefully I'll be picking it up as I leave.

After checking the area, I crawl thirty feet and stop alongside the fence, still in deep shadow. I remain motionless as the guard sweeps over the perimeter with the night vision goggles. The guards don't expect anyone to get so close to the base or so low to the ground. They miss my hiding place. As the guard turns away, I rise slowly, avoiding the sudden movements that will draw their attention. Gripping the fence, I ease my weight onto the foot that is in the fence. I climb, balancing the need for silence with the need for speed. I can smell my boots and gloves burning. My whole body is tensed. It is a sturdy fence, reinforced to prevent cutting, making climbing easier. 

As I reach the top, I get out wire cutters and snip the barbed wire. Pushing the wire aside with my gloved hands, I flip over the top and land on the balls of my feet, coming down through my feet like my dance teacher always said to do. I'm in. Or at least partially in, I remind myself. I run through the shadows and crouch next to the building. I put away my rubber gloves and wire cutters. Then I stay still, giving myself time to assess my situation. The window to my left is Captain Van der Wahl's office. Previous agents have discovered that Van der Wahl never turns on the alarm system in his room. We have broken into his office three times over the past ten years. If a breach of security were discovered, the Captain would set his alarm for perhaps the next two months, then he would once more grow lax. Van der Wahl has done more for the rebellion than many dedicated agents.

Tonight it seems that the good captain has not only neglected to set his alarm, he has also left his window open. It amazes me that a man who cannot understand even the most basic security precautions has been promoted to captain. Well, so much the better for me if OZ officials are incompetent. Remaining in the shadows, I reach a hand into the lighted area and open the window the rest of the way. Then I retreat into the shadow and wait for my chance. I watch the guards intently, ears open for any sound. The guards' attention is focused outside the fence and I step into the light. First one leg snakes through the opening. Then I duck my body through the window. Finally I pull in my other leg. It is a move I complete with the ease of long practice, as it is one of the most common maneuvers. Once inside, I crouch beneath the sill and check my watch, 21:45.

The next part of my mission will be the most difficult. I need to exit the office travel a hundred feet of hallway and pick the lock at the accounting department's office without being spotted. First I open the Captain's closet and remove on of his uniform coats. I remove the Captain's chevrons and replace them with my father's insignia. Next I switch the nameplate, Lt. Banks. This too belonged to my father. I pull on the coat. It is too big but it will pass from a distance. To complete my disguise I belt my holster over the Captain's coat.

I move toward the door of the dark room. Listening tautly, I step out into the hallway. I walk briskly, making no effort disguise my presence, looking as if I belong here. In about a minute and thirty seconds I've reached the accounting department. The only person I've encountered is someone who walked ahead of me for a few feet and never bothered to turn around. Those ten seconds, however, had been tense.

I reach into my pocket as if getting a key. Instead I pull out a lock pick. Looking slightly bored, I insert the pick into the lock and fiddle for a few seconds until the lock clicks. The accounting department has a very low security rating. I would never find such a simple lock on a more secure location.

I walk in and study the nameplates at each cubicle. I turn on the computer of a person named Sgt. Hoffman, Donations Coordinator. The cubicle walls keep the glow from leaving the office. When it asks for a password I type Kushrenada. All OZ computers come designed with that password and on low security computers such as this it is rarely changed. Right on the start screen is an icon for this month's donations. The list is complete with donors. I need to empty the trashcan to find other lists, but within three minutes I have a list of the donations to the OZ bases in the last three months. Skimming through the other titles in the trashcan, I strike gold, a document that says previous donors. Inside is a list of organizations that were to be the targets of a fundraising campaign. I finish skimming the list of titles. Then I send all the relevant files as email to a used computer I bought three years ago. The OZ computers have been configured so that they are incapable of copying to a disk. However, by emailing I can save the lists from another computer. After sending the email, I check my watch, 22:00.

It is time for me to go. Anyone in the office area later than ten is certain to be noticed. I shut down the computer, making certain to leave the monitor on, as that was how I found it. I retrace my steps, locking doors, restoring coats, closing windows and climbing over the fence once more. There is nothing I can do to repair the breech in the barbed wire but I left no clue as to who infiltrated the base or what my purpose was.

* * *

**19:00, April 10, 195 A.C.**

"So," Kyra concluded, "when I analyzed the data that I had stolen I found that the donors were mostly multinational corporations headquartered in Western Europe. I finally found about forty noblemen who were on the boards of many of those corporations. When I studied those men, I discovered that all of them spent a great deal of time in Luxembourg and Germany. So I'm off to that area to discover why rich aristocrats are funding OZ," Kyra finished with a smile.

"They could want war to enrich themselves. Industry makes a lot of money in a war," Duo suggested.

"I considered that, but some of these businesses would be unaffected or adversely affected by a war. I think their overall motive must be something deeper," Kyra answered in the tone of one who had thought much about the issue.

"Why Germany and not Luxembourg?" Duo inquired.

"I own a home in Germany. I'm going to install myself there 'for college,'" Kyra answered. "I'll be able to make side trips into Luxembourg from there."

"Well, I wish you luck. Tell me what you find."

"I'll do that," Kyra replied with a smile and conversation ended for the time being.

  
  



End file.
